Good Medicine is ...

Hello, you absolutely amazing person, you, and welcome back to my world today. I'm excited because I'm going to share with you a phrase that is really common in the circles I travel in the indigenous circles, but maybe it's not so common in mainstream. So let's start with a brief common use definition. The phrase is good medicine. That's whatever it is that just warms your spirit and your soul and you just know this was good for me. So some examples of good medicine would be that deep belly laugh that you have with a bestie when you're sharing the memory of something that was just epic. That's good medicine. Another one would be having the opportunity to visit with your friends and just enjoy that quality time with them. That's good medicine to me. Anytime I have the chance, whether I'm at conference or in community, and I get the chance to hear the words of an elder that just resonate not only in my present life, but with my blood memory. That's good medicine. And I don't care how old I get, the giggling of a baby is good medicine. Now in the comments, I would love to hear what's your examples of good medicine. I have four examples that I want to share with you today. So let's talk about it. So we're back. Mishko Pocket. Hi everybody. My name is Andy Boucher. I'm Red Thunderbolt, woman of the Loon clan, a proud member of Seine River First Nation in Treaty 3 Territory in Northern Ontario. And I spend my time, energy, passion, whatever, trying to unify a country. I help non indigenous Canadians understand Indigenous people like me and like my family and like so many I care about, I help them understand why our efforts of working together have not worked so far and more importantly, how we can change things to work better together in the future. Now, as I promised in the opening, today we're talking about good medicine. And for me personally, writing has always been good medicine. In the past, I have said a million times that writing is how I make sense of my world. And one of the favorite places I have to write is in the bush, out in the middle of the woods, away from civilization, because there it is, quiet enough that I can hear Creator talking. Maybe now you understand just a little bit why many Indigenous people really are hesitant around mass development of their land base. We understand the value of the bush just the way it is now. I write every single day. I have long said it would be easier for me to give up breathing than it would be writing. It helps me to celebrate the good times. And it has often helped me to make sense of the bad times. Now, in my first book, Honorary Indian, that book was, or actually Honorary Indian decolonized now because it's been republished, edited and republished. 1. Well, for one, it was a collection of writings that I had been writing over the years. And the oldest entry in that book is. Goes back to my days of domestic violence. Now, this should not be triggering if you hang on to the end. So unfortunately, if you know that path like I do, please just hang in there. If you can't do it, you can't do it. Take care of yourself. But if you can, stick around for this poem called the New World. Let's see if you think it's good medicine. Here it is, my world. What a strange dark place. I see the people I love moving in and out, going around and around, but I am not here. I work, I play, and I pray. Pray for the good days, good days, bad days. All the same somehow. Oh, for a crystal ball. Do I smile? Do I hide? Do I really want to, want to know? Violence, chaos. And then suddenly the new world. A strange place, quiet, where flowers grow smiles for all real ones, not imitation Laughter, dancing and peace. No crystal ball here. But there is no need. Everything is new and wonderful and scary at times, but everything is is safe. The sun shines all the time in the new World. Not from outside, but from within. No calm before a storm. Just a wonderful, peaceful calm. I have found the new world and I am safe. Walk with me. Let me tell you of the New world. So what did you think? Was that good medicine? Now I mentioned part one was writing is good medicine. You know what else is really good medicine? Reading is good medicine. I love reading something that touches my soul. And as I shared either in the last video or the video before, I'm sorry, but Zenith Lily, that beautiful quay from the Sault Ste. Marie area, that woman touches my soul. I pray the Creator sees fit that one day our paths cross in real life so I can hug the stuffing out of her now. Once again, I was on LinkedIn and I saw one of those memes she puts up just that quote, and this one simply said, keep walking, keep laying your tobacco down, keep showing up with your good heart. If you're indigenous, are you surprised that I went on to read her post? This one definitely goes out to the indigenous followers. Listen to this. And she I have no idea. Like a week ago maybe. Anytime you trip over something by Zenith Lilly, I highly recommend you read it. It will be worth your time. I have no doubt. So here she goes. And remember, Zenith Lilly is an indigenous social work master's candidate in traditional indigenous knowledge. Love, love, love, love, love. This woman. So this is what she wrote about showing up with a good heart. I pray one day you find your chosen ceremony family. Not just a group to stand besides, but a bundle of souls who know the old ways, who carry the songs, who speak with their hands and listen with their hearts. I hope you find the ones who greet you with eyes that say, we've been waiting for you, who pull up a blanket beside the fire, who pass you the tea before you ask, who laugh from a place so deep it shakes something loose in you. May you find the ones who know how to sit in the dark with you during the hard moons, when the grief is heavy, when your spirit feels far. And may they sing for you until you remember you were never alone. I hope you find a family that teaches without shame, who remind you that learning takes time, that spirit speaks slow, and that the ancestors don't rush. May you eat together after ceremony, moose meat and wild berries, the kind of food that fills more than your belly. And may the children fall asleep wrapped in regalia, surrounded by love as old as the land. I hope you find the lodge where your prayers feel heard, the drum that feels like a heartbeat you've always known. The hands that tie your braid before you go in, the Andy who winks at you across the fire because she sees you, really sees you. And if you haven't found them yet, keep walking, keep laying your tobacco down, keep showing up with your good heart, because somewhere your people are already gathering, the circle is being made, the songs are being remembered, and they will welcome you when it's time. I cannot even put into words how deeply that resonated with me. That was sheer poetry. That was speaking to heart, not head. That was speaking long held truth. And did you see the love for land, the connection to land that's indigenous. That's Nishnaabe. I just love it. Love. Hey, focus. Get it together, Sandy. Even though I know I'm going back to reread that, because I gotta. And feel free to back up the video so you can reread it. Reread it. Listen to it again. Now then. Now we're going to jump. We just went from traditional land based beautiful, hanging on to the past and bringing it into the present and future. And now we're going to go modern here. That was pure indigenous, but maybe mainstream is a little more familiar with podcasts, and if there's one, I Absolutely Love it is Jay Shetty's On Purpose podcast. And so this part three is a good podcast, is good medicine. So Alex Cooper, who is the creator, creator of the Calling Her Daddy podcast, which is I think the most popular podcast out there, like, it's huge. I almost said something I shouldn't say on video. It's huge. So Alex Cooper was a guest on Jay Shetty's podcast. And Jay always asks about their background, what inspired them, whatever. And Alex shared how she was in. Alex is beautiful. Just gonna put that out there. But how she was awkward and how she was incredibly bullied as a child, that it was reduced. Ridiculous. But that that bullied girl actually grew up to start call her daddy. Now that Blue Jay's mind away, he's like, wait, wait, wait. Like I'm seeing this incredibly empowered woman with a strong voice in front of me. How can you tell me you were bullied as a child? Does not compute. And what Alex explained to Jay and what I bet many, many of the women watching totally understand is that abused child she once was was the reason she spoke so passionately now because the little girl she was once was couldn't. And that's what resonated so deep with me. I have no doubt in my mind that today, in this day 2025, just dated my video. That's okay. I am my biggest fan. And that will never change. Because you know what? I lost my biggest fan when I was 17 years old. The day. The day my dad passed, my world went so dark. Because I now describe him as my projector. Like the kind you use in seminar that shoots out an image for everyone to see. And like so many, like, I didn't yet realize at that stage that I could be my own projector. So I made the mistake so many do. I went looking for another. And it wouldn't be until I was in my 40s that I realized I could be that projector. So if you hear nothing else today, if you're out there struggling with your own confidence and self identity, know this. All I am is because of who I was and what I couldn't do back then and what I was held back from doing and what I was made fun of for trying, all of those things I now do freely. I am her. But just as importantly, she was me. So whatever you're being held back from, whenever you're hesitating about doing everything that your heart is screaming for you to do, know without a doubt that's future you telling you why you're here, let her out. The sooner you let her out, the better for you, for her, and for all of the people that are going to be so thankful that you did. Last but not least, we're definitely going to end on a very personal note. Even though I was just crying over my dad, I don't think it gets much more personal than that. Part 4 so first, writing was good medicine. Reading was good medicine. A great podcast is good medicine. And last but not least, good food is good medicine. Now this should not be a surprise to you because I am indigenous, which means for so many of us, a large percentage of us, that we have a familial history of diabetes and high blood pressure. It is so common in our families. But for years now I was determined to stay healthy, even though that is not easy. And it is way more easy to be lazy and complacent and just do whatever you want and say you don't care until the day it catches up to you. So I got complacent and I started putting the pounds on and I started watching my blood pressure go up and then I I started watching my blood sugar go up. And in March of this year I was officially diagnosed as diabetic. Not anything I ever wanted to achieve. Now recently a friend of mine referred me to the Lifestyle RX Diabetes Reversal program. This is not a program to manage diabetes. This is not a program to, to just reduce your numbers. This is a program to reverse it completely. And if you live in bc, Alberta or Ontario, it is completely covered by your health program. So I checked it out and I've been doing it for probably a week and a half now and guess what? My weight is down, my blood pressure is better than it has been in ever and I am seeing morning sugar readings which was. That's where my problem was. I am seeing numbers I haven't seen in over a year. Complacency kills. Just accepting, giving in. Acquiescence is a trait of being oppressed. Do not give in on your health. Be please, please choose to continue being here for your loved ones. Now I am not saying you have to sign up for this program. You do. You boo what I am telling and I am not getting paid to endorse this program in any way. I would. I don't tend to do that. But what I do know is this program works for me and good medicine is good medicine. So there you go. What did you think? Do you agree? Are those four good medicine in your life or what else is I'm dying to hear in the comments? Another thing just Just add on at the end here. I've done my four parts already. One of the things I'm seriously considering doing right now. I am in the middle of delivering my 15 missing pieces seminar at the local college to some of the faculty and administration. Now 15 missing pieces are 15 pieces of misinformation. Missing information that non indigenous people don't yet know and need to know and understand for us to effectively work together. This is not about shame or guilt. This is not about pointing fingers. This is. This is just reality check so you can move forward on solid ground. And I am so enjoying the response and just it is so obvious I'm touching hearts and not just speaking to heads which is what is needed when people have been hurt. It is just going so absolutely well that I at the end of we've divided it into two half days and a half. The end of the first session I kind of felt sad that so many more people are not going to be able to take that session because I believe it is important and I'm seriously thinking of doing it as a video series for my YouTube followers. It will not be members only. It'll be open to the public. What do you think? It is one of my most powerful seminars and I'm going to. If I do it, if I choose to do it, if you think it's a great idea, then I'm going to do it exactly as if you were sitting in seminar. So yes, you're going to hear my introduction again. But I think it's important to follow the same format that has worked for years for so many audiences. So what do you think? Should I do it? Should I do it? Put it in the comments until next week. I love you. Take care. Bye Bye.